Keeping Her Safe
by the bean25
Summary: Sequel to Growing Up. Jenna takes Don to meet her family, and gets bad news. Flack, OCs
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own any CSI: NY characters. But all the others are mine, all mine. LOL

Chapter 1

Jenna and Don were sitting at a table in a restaurant close to his apartment. It was still cold outside. They were both tired of the snow falling, but it was February and it wasn't over yet. Don had just come off a long shift and he was tired. Jenna had the same kind of day and she was equally tired.

"So," Jenna started as she twirled her fork in her pasta. "I'm gonna take a few days off and go visit my family. My dad's been bugging me and I really miss them."

"How long you gonna be gone?" he asked after he took a sip of wine.

"Uh, about a week I think." She raised an eyebrow at him. "I wanted to ask, would you want to go? If you don't you really don't have to, but I wanted to ask."

Don thought for a second, looking down then back up. "I got some time I can take, yeah I'll go."

She looked confused. "You will?"

"Yeah, don't look so shocked. It might be fun, plus it may be the only time I'll get to meet your whole family."

"Wow, ok. Well, I was gonna leave in a couple weeks. I was gonna hit Philly first and stay with my mom for a couple days, then go to Elizabethtown to see my dad and everybody else."

"Sounds good. I really haven't taken a vacation in so long it will be nice to just relax and not have to solve a case for a few days."

"Yeah a vacation is necessary every once in a while." She finished her plate and pushed it in front of her.

"Did you tell everyone you're coming or is it a surprise?"

"I told my dad but I'm surprising my mom. She'll love it."

He leaned back in his chair and the waitress laid down the bill in front of him. "It should be fun, Jenna, no matter what you think."

A couple weeks later, it was the day before Jenna and Don were to leave for Pennsylvania. Jenna was packing up the last of her clothes. It was close to eleven and she would be in bed soon to get up early to leave. Her phone rang and she picked up the cordless receiver.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hey, it's me," Don replied. "I'm still not done working, and I haven't packed yet. Could you go over to my place and pack up some stuff for me?"

Jenna sighed. "Yeah, that's fine."

"Jenna, please, don't be upset I'm tired and it's going to be a long night."

"Alright, alright. I'll pack up some stuff, is there anything special you need?" she was now changing from her pajama pants into jeans.

"No, just the usual stuff."

"Ok, consider it done."

"Thanks, and sorry I was mean, I'm just tired and I need this vacation."

They said their goodbyes and Jenna grunted as she got her keys and the one to Don's apartment and left. The last thing she really wanted to do was have to drive to his place, pack up his stuff, and then get home late. She was tired and didn't want to be half-awake driving the next day.

She packed all of the things she assumed Don would need into a black duffel bag. At least he already had that out sitting on the bed. By the time she got back to her place it was after twelve and she crashed into bed.

In the morning Jenna was surprised to find that Don wasn't laying next to her. She had thought that when he was done working he would just come to her place then they could leave from there. Now if he was at his apartment she would have to go out of her way to go pick him up. She sighed heavily in frustration as she went to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. She picked up the phone and dialed Don's number. But then ended the call when she heard keys in the front door. Don walked inside then into the kitchen.

"You're just getting done working?" Jenna asked after she looked at his clothes; he was still in his suit.

"Yeah," he held up his hand. "I really don't want to hear about it. I'm gonna get in the shower, then I'll be ready to go." He started down the hallway.

"Wait a second," she said nicely. His back was still to her at the spot where he had stopped. She wrapped her arms around his waist. "Good morning, and I love you," she told him with her head against his back.

He rubbed her arms. "I'm sorry, good morning. I love you too," he responded.

After Don was done with his shower they got their things together and headed out of the apartment. Don sat awake in the passenger seat for not even an hour. Jenna had told him before they even started that he was welcome to sleep the whole way. It took the longest for them to get through the traffic in the city. Jenna thought she was going to go crazy having to deal with the amount of people on the streets.

Finally out of the city they were driving down the highway. Jenna had music playing and she was singing along. Don was still fast asleep in the passenger seat next to her.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

In Philadelphia, Jenna made her way through the streets to the diner where her mom worked. She parked the truck and lightly touched Don's arm to wake him up. He rolled his head back and forth, and then barely opened his eyes. She smiled when he looked at her.

"We're here, sleepy head," she told him as she watched him stretch.

He looked around and put the back of the chair up. "Where are we? I mean I know we're in Philly, but where exactly are we?"

"West Philly, at the diner where my mom works." She smiled. "Are you ready to get out, or do you want to wait a little bit? We can get some breakfast here, and coffee."

He perked up at the sound of coffee. "I'm in."

They got out of the car and he took her hand as they made their way inside. Jenna walked up to the counter and an older black woman recognized her and gave her a hug.

"Kerry, there's someone here to see you," the woman yelled behind the counter.

"Who is it?"

"Some pretty young girl that looks a lot like your daughter."

The other woman spun around and looked at Jenna. She ran from behind the counter and to her daughter. They stayed in a hug for a good minute before Jenna pulled away. "Mom, this is my boyfriend Don Flack. Don, this is my mom Kerry."

"It's nice to meet you, ma'am," Don said as they shook hands.

"Ma'am? I'm not that old yet. You can call me Kerry." She turned to her daughter. "Polite and cute." The two women smiled. "I can't believe you're here, why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"I wanted to surprise you."

"Why don't you guys get a booth and we'll have some breakfast?"

They all sat together, and Don became more awake as their conversation progressed and he got coffee in his system. He decided right away that he liked Kerry; Jenna reflected her perfectly and she had all of her mother's good attributes.

That day they toured around Philadelphia. Jenna showed Don where the lab was that she worked in and the various places around town she loved to go.

At the end of the day they went back to Jenna's mom apartment. It was the same one they had lived in together when Jenna had lived there. Don had only slept for about three hours in the car, so he went straight into the bedroom to take a nap. Jenna sat in the living room with her mom on the couch.

"I'm really happy for you Jenna," her mom stated and out her hand on her daughter's.

Jenna smiled. "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean. Don, he's a really great guy. He's outgoing and personable. He's just got it all, nothing like Eddie."

"Yeah, I think I'll keep him around," Jenna joked.

"You better. So, how's work going?"

"It's different. I'm always busy."

"It's New York City, what did you expect?"

"No, I expected this. I'd rather be busy, to be honest." Jenna looked at her mom. "You ok, by the way? You've seemed a little distracted."

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You're sure."

"Yeah, really I'm ok."

"Ok, because I know if there is something wrong everyone else will be the last to know," she told her. "I'm kind of tired too, I'm gonna go lay down with Don." Jenna got up from the couch.

"Ok, but no hanky panky in my house."

Jenna laughed. "Mom, seriously, hanky panky? Who says that?" she giggled again. "Just get me if you need help with dinner."

For dinner Kerry made them barbequed chicken with a baked potato and corn on the cob. They all conversed over dinner about their jobs and Don told Kerry about his family. She enjoyed hearing the similarities between his and her daughter's lives. Jenna told her mom about what a nice time she had when she got to meet Don's family, and how much fun they had when her brother, Evan, had come to visit. After dinner Don offered to clean up, but Jenna said they could all do it together.

Don flipped on Sports Center in the living room while the girls sat at the table with a mug of tea. One would think that there couldn't be much more for them to talk about, but that was one thing Jenna and her mom had never had a problem with. She was Jenna's best friend, and Jenna always had something to tell her and her mom never ceased in giving advice on different matters.

Later that night Jenna went into her mom's room to say goodnight while Don waited for her in bed. He was close to falling asleep when he felt her on the bed. He was rolling over to put his arms around her when he noticed her sitting on the edge of the bed. She had her head in her hands and she was sobbing.

"Jenna? Babe, what's wrong?" he put his hand on her shoulder.

She turned her head to look at him. "My mom," she started. "She just told me…she has ovarian cancer." Her tears came in steady streams down her cheeks.

He pulled her to his chest, and she sobbed uncontrollably. He stroked her hair as she cried. "Is she gonna be ok?" he finally asked.

"I don't know she said she's gonna have chemo therapy and that should get all of it," she leaned forward off of his chest. "I'm just scared. My mom has always been real strong and never sick, and now…" she trailed off and put her hand to her face again. "I'm, uh, I'm gonna go lay with her, ok?"

"Yeah, that's fine," he rubbed her back. "I'll be alright without you tonight."

She forced a smile then leaned to him and their lips met.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The next morning Don awoke in the bed by himself, which he expected. He got up and started to the kitchen. He saw Kerry standing in the kitchen holding a cup of coffee. Don realized he was wearing only boxers and a t-shirt.

"Sorry," he said and started to walk back to the bedroom to change.

"Don, it's ok I have two boys I've seen guys in their boxers before."

Don continued into the kitchen and she handed him a cup of coffee. She went into the dining room and sat at the table, and then he joined her. They both sipped their coffee in silence for a while.

"Jenna likes to sleep in. She's always been that way."

"Yeah, I'm always the one to get up early at home."

"So, you and my daughter are pretty much in love, huh?" Kerry asked.

This made Don smile. "Yeah, I love her a lot."

"She loves you, too." She took a couple sips of her coffee. "She told you didn't she?"

"Yeah, last night she did."

She put her hand on his and grasped his tightly. "I can see the love between the two of you and I want you to promise me that no matter what happens to me or what happens between the two of you, please take care of her for me."

He looked at the tear that had begun to well in her eyes. "I promise, Kerry, I won't let anything happen to her."

She smiled slightly. "Thank you." She looked up to see Jenna walking toward them. "Good morning honey, did you sleep good?"

"Yeah, I slept like a baby," she kissed Don on the top of the head. "Did you sleep good?" she asked him.

"Yeah, I slept fine."

She walked into the kitchen and got a cup of coffee then joined them at the table. She sipped and yawned. Her eyes were swollen from crying. "Mom, I think we should make Don one of our famous breakfasts."

"Oh yeah that sounds good. Pancakes, bacon, eggs, the works?" Kerry asked looking at both Don and Jenna.

"Uh, huh that sounds so good."

Don read the newspaper at the table while the girls cooked. He chuckled when he watched them dance and sing around the kitchen as they cooked. He wasn't quite sure what they were singing, but it was entertaining. Kerry was at one part of the counter making pancakes on an electric griddle and Jenna was at the stove frying bacon. She would smile over at Don every once and a while.

When they finished eating Don cleaned up the dishes with Jenna. Kerry had told them that she was going to the store to get some things for dinner, and then went to get ready. The couple was still in the kitchen when Kerry announced she was leaving for the store. She told them that she would bring them back some authentic Philly cheese steaks. After the kitchen was basically spotless, Don went to the bathroom to take a shower.

Jenna walked into the bathroom; she could see Don's silhouette as he showered. He didn't notice her. She took off her clothes and put the robe back on her. She pulled back the shower curtain just enough to see him.

"Can I join you?" she asked and let the robe fall from her shoulders.

"Doesn't your mom have some kind of rule about 'hank panky' as she calls it?"

She smirked. "When mom's away the kids will play," she said then raised her eyebrows a couple times.

He pulled the shower curtain open more and she stepped inside.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Jenna and Don left late the next morning. She let him drive to Elizabethtown, the small town where her dad lived with his wife. Her sister and older brother lived close by as well.

Don was smiling as they pulled up to the small house. He started to chuckle.

"What are you laughing at?" she inquired looking confused.

"It's just cookie cutter that's all," he responded.

"Yeah, I know my dad loves it. He says the neighborhood has lots of character." She sighed and opened her door. "Let's do this."

They both got out of the car and went up the front steps hand in hand. Jenna pushed the door open and went inside. She took her coat off and hung it on the hook. She yelled for anyone, but no one answered. Don hung up his coat too.

"Susan, Dad, are you guys here?" she called.

"In the kitchen," they heard a woman yell in response.

The couple made their way to the kitchen. Susan, Jenna's step-mom, was standing at the counter. "Hey, Jenna," she said as she walked over and gave her a hug. "How was the drive?"

"It was good. Susan this is my boyfriend, Don."

The older woman shook Don's hand when he offered it. "It's nice to meet you Mrs. Landers."

"Nice to meet you, too. You can call me Susan."

"Where's Dad?" Jenna asked her.

"He's in the basement, watching football or reading or whatever he does down there."

"Alright, we're gonna go down and say hi."

Jenna led Don to the door in the hallway that lead to the basement stairs. They walked down and they could hear the TV on. "Dad, you're little girl is here."

He turned and looked at her from where he was sitting in the couch by the stairs. "My little girl," he paused. "With a guy." He stood and hugged Jenna.

"Dad, I told you he was coming."

"I know, but I don't know I thought maybe you were kidding." He looked at Don. "I'm Tom."

The two men shook hands. "Don Flack. It's nice to meet you Mr. Landers."

Jenna smiled at how nervous Don seemed to meet her dad. Then she looked at her dad. "Dad, seriously, you're not gonna make him call you 'Mr. Landers,' are you?"

Her dad looked at her for a second then looked at the man before him. "Fine, you can call me Tom." The two men chuckled as Tom put his hand on Don's shoulder. "It's good to have you guys here."

They looked up as they hears loud footsteps upstairs. "Sounds like the cavalry is her," Jenna commented and shook her head.

The three of them started up the stairs. A group of kids ran past them as they came through the door. Jenna laughed when she heard her sister and her husband talking in the foyer. Then she saw her brother and sister-in-law too.

"Hey, look it's Jen," her brother announced.

"And a boy," her sister added.

Jenna looked at Don and rolled her eyes. She mouthed her apology. She walked over to her siblings and their spouses and hugged each one. "Guys this is Don," she started. "Don, this is my brother Andy and his wife Katie and my sister Diana and her husband Luke, and their baby girl Elizabeth." She pointed down at the baby sleeping in the car seat.

Don gave them all a friendly greeting, shaking the guys hands and offering smiles to the women.

"D, Elizabeth is beautiful. I can't wait till she wakes up I wanna hold her," Jenna said looking at the baby in the carrier.

"Where did my kids go?" Katie asked looking past them down the hallway.

"I don't know, maybe to the playroom."

The adults all headed to the living room. Suddenly the kids came running into the room. Connor, her brother's three year-old son ran to Jenna and he jumped into her lap. He seemed fascinated with Don, talking to him about all kinds of things. Jenna loved it. Her nieces, Kaylee and Hannah, seemed to just as fascinated with him. They told him he was cute more than once.

At dinner Jenna's family grilled Don about so much. She had to tell them to cool it at one point because their questions were keeping him from being able to eat.

When dinner was over the adults were in the living room while the kids were downstairs watching a movie. Jenna was holding Elizabeth. She was sitting in a rocking chair by the window and she was rocking back and forth.

"Jenna?" Diana said from the sofa in front of her.

"Hm?"

"You should sing for us?"

Jenna shook her head in shock from the comment. "I should what?"

"Sing. I'll play the piano if you sing."

"What the heck am I gonna sing?"

Diana got up and went over to the piano close to Jenna. "We could do 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow'?" She began to flip through the pages of music in front of her.

"Alright," Jenna replied and cleared her throat as her sister began to play. She started the song looking down at the baby in her arms then she would look up at Don across the room. An hour later Diana and her family left and soon after her brother left with his family as well.

Jenna's dad was fast asleep in the recliner next to the couch. She laughed and looked at Don next to her. "He's a party animal."

Don laughed. "Yeah I can tell. I'm kind of feeling the same way though."

Susan came into the room. "Jenna you can sleep in your old room. And Don is in the guest room."

Jenna looked at Don and rolled her eyes. They both got up and headed up the stairs. Jenna opened the door to the third floor. She looked to see if anyone was around. She looked at Don and smiled.

"Uh, I suggest not coming up here even after they go to bed because the stairs make a hug amount of noise. Sorry," she told him.

"Aw, man, I was planning a midnight rendezvous." He kissed her lips then headed to the bedroom she had indicated was for him.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

A few days later they were back in Jenna's apartment. Jenna had told her dad about her mom, and he had taken it hard. Even though her parents had divorced so long ago her dad still held her mom in high regard and she the same for him. Her brothers and sister had been told by her mom before. Jenna didn't talk about it with her siblings; they didn't want to bring it up and let it bring them down. They all knew and it was on their minds. Jenna had thought about her mom a lot when she and Don were in the car on the way home. She had been quiet and Don would ask her every once in a while if she was ok, and she would assure him she was.

Jenna threw her bag on the floor by the couch, and then flopped down. "Good to be home. I love my family, but man I'm tired."

Don flopped down next to her then laid his head down in her lap. "I totally agree. But I had a great time meeting your family."

Jenna was rubbing his hair then leaned down and kissed his forehead. She sighed heavily.

"You're worried about your mom, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I just hate being this far away from her. Not that I want to leave, but she's just all alone in Philly and I worry about her a lot."

"Jenna, she'll be ok. She said she's gonna do chemo and that should do it."

"I just wish I could be with her to give her some support. To show her she's really not alone."

Don sat up and looked at his girlfriend. He kissed her softly. "Babe, she'll be ok. I'm not sure what you could do besides moving there."

Jenna contemplated for a minute. "She could come here."

He furrowed his brows. "Well, I guess if you want her to."

"That might cut into our little arrangement, huh?" she smiled.

"If it's what you want, I could deal with it."

Jenna scrunched her nose a bit. "It was just a thought. I don't think she would anyway." She scooted closer to him and wrapped her arms around him.

"Hey, your mom told me something when we were there."

Jenna sat up a little and looked at him. "What?"

Don put a hand on her face. "She told me that I'm supposed to take care of you no matter what happens to her, or between us." He smiled a little then stopped when he saw tears start to form in her eyes. "Sorry that probably didn't help any. But I promised her I would, Jenna. I love you and I'm not gonna let anything happen to you."

She kissed his neck lightly. "I love you so much. Thank you for making that promise to my mom."

"We already know that I'll fight for you."

She started to laugh. "Yeah, get punched for me."

"Oh, yeah," he told her then began to tackle her. He started to tickle her and she was laughing hysterically.

"Ok, ok…stop…I can't breathe," she said breathlessly.

He kissed her neck a couple times then pulled away. He wiped the hair from her face. He was smiling at her.

"Ok, now I'm even more tired." She sat up.

"I'm hungry," he commented.

"You should cook us something."

"Ok," he responded and went to the kitchen.

Twenty minutes later they were sitting in front of the TV watching a Rangers game and eating grilled cheese sandwiches.


End file.
